The increased use of plastic garbage bags has given rise to a problem associated with a single user attempting to fill the garbage bag with debris while at the same time holding the bag open. In a typical situation a user will attempt to hold a plastic garbage bag open, which is flimsy, while attempting to either sweep or place material into the opening. If the user is attempting to sweep debris into the opened garbage bag the user must also attempt to hold a flattened open edge of the garbage bag next to the floor surface so that as material is swept into the garbage bag, it is not swept under the garbage bag edge in contact with the floor. The inventor had found that he is able to solve the problem of holding a garbage bag open while a flattened portion of the garbage bag opening is held next to a floor surface, while also providing a dust pan type debris directing ramp which directs the debris into the garbage bag opening. There have been numerous devices developed which have attempted to overcome the problem associated with holding a garbage bag open while a user fills the garbage bag. Some of the prior art patents are as follows:
Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,858 discloses a refuse bag holder which provides a means for holding a refuse bag in an open position. This device is useful for holding a bag in an open position however it does not provide a means for securing the opened refuse bag in contact with a floor surface so that as debris is swept into the opened bag the debris does not go under the device or the opened plastic bag. The present invention provides a debris directing tray which resembles a dust pan which has two raised side walls forming a directing channel and a pair of uprights rising from the side walls each pivotally connected to a resilience rib member having a left and right resilience rib member providing biasing forces which resiliently urge a garbage bag to remain in an opened position.
Borland, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,123 discloses a device for holding a thin flexible plastic bag with a flat edge for contacting a surface. This device is also useful for maintaining a bag in open position however it does not provide a means for directing debris into the opened bag as the present invention.
Corsaut, III, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,348 discloses a trash bag holder with a flexible plastic strip with intermediate straight portion adapted for insertion within the bag opening for alternative ground or floor engagement with the bag retained in an open receiving condition. This device is useful for holding a bag in an open position while also attempting to sweep debris into the open bag. The present invention differs from the Corsaut device in that the present invention includes two side walls forming a channel for directing debris which is swept into the opened trash bag. The directing channel and side walls provides a means for preventing the debris from being swept around the outside edge of the open bag. The present invention also includes a design which allows the device to be folded flat for easy storage, and also allows the angle of the opened plastic bag to be altered and held, in relation to the directing channel.
Bylenga, U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,743 discloses a bag holding apparatus to assist in the bagging of leaves or other lawn debris. This device is also useful for maintaining a bag in a open position however it does not provide a debris directing channel as the present invention.
Dieter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,533 discloses a support collar for trash bags. This device is also useful for holding a bag in an open position however it does not provide an easy to use bag insertable device which also includes a debris directing means for easily sweeping debris into the open bag.
As will be shown below the present invention differs from the prior art in that it provides not only a means for maintaining a plastic bag in a open position but also provides a directing debris channel way with raised channel side walls assuring that debris which is swept into the opened plastic bag will enter the open plastic bag rather than being swept around the outside opened edges of the plastic bag, and also provides a means for assuring that an edge of the plastic bag is held in contact with a floor surface so that debris is not swept under the plastic bag, and also provides foldable device which allows the device to be easily stored by allowing the resilient ribs to be folded down so that the device lays flat for storage. The present invention overcomes problems associated with the prior art in providing a means for maintaining the open plastic bag on a flat floor surface or other surface where debris will be swept into the opened bag quickly and easily.